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Sweatshirts
are arguably a type of sweater, but they are made of a fabric and cut similar to
sweatpants. A sweatshirt worn with sweatpants forms a sweatsuit which was
originally a kind of exercise clothing. They were originally designed as a
method for athletes to raise the core body temperature and cause perspiration (sweat)
in order to lose body weight before a weigh in for a weight divided sport such as
wrestling. The garment is generally fashioned out of a thick, usually cotton
jersey material, but can also be made with lighter weight fabrics. Although
some are 100% cotton, others can be made fully of synthetic fibers or a blend between
man-made & synthetics.

In addition to using for exercise
sweat shirts have become more than just fitness fashion. They
are also worn to sit around playing video games, hanging out with friends, or walking
your dog. Essentially, they are great all-purpose garments. Typically
comfortable and casual. Sweatshirts are almost exclusively “casual attire"
and are not dressy as their sweater counterparts may be. Sweatshirts may or
may not have a zipper or hood. A sweatshirt be manufactured in solid colors,
color blocking, or embellished with techniques such as printing or embroidery.

When sweatshirts have hoods, they
are call hoodies.

The word hoodie, hoody, hoodies, and hooded sweatshirt all
means the same thing. Regardless of the spelling it means a sweatshirt with
a hood. Hoodies often include a muff sewn onto the lower front, and
(usually) a drawstring to adjust the hood opening. Some have zippers to open
the front and others are pullovers (without zippers). They can also be made
as partial zip.

History of the Hoodie

Hoodies have been a documented part of men's and women's
wear for centuries. The word "hood" is said to come from the Anglo-Saxon word
"hôd". Let’s keep in mind that Robin Hood, wore a garment with a hood.
The garment's style and form can be traced back to Medieval Europe when the normal
clothing for monks included a hood called a cowl attached to a tunic or robes, and
a chaperon or hooded cape was very commonly worn by any outdoors worker. Its
appearance was known in England at least as early as the 12th century, possibly
an import with the Norman conquest of England.

The hooded sweatshirt was first produced
in the United States starting in the 1930s. The modern clothing style was
first produced by
Champion in the 1930s and marketed to laborers
working in freezing temperatures in upstate New York.

Why did hoodies become so popular?

The hoodie took off in the 1970s, with several factors contributing
to its success. Most critical to the hoodie's popularity during this time
was its iconic appearance in the blockbuster Rocky film. Rocky Balboa wore
a hoodie for training sequences in the 1976 movie Rocky. Shortly their after,
kids and grownups hit the streets running.

Young men, often skateboarders or surfers, sported the hoodie
and helped spread the trend across the United States. The rise of hoodies
with university logos has become an important component of youthful culture in the
United States and around the world. Hip hop culture developed in New York
City which also contributed to the popularity of hooded sweatshirts. High fashion
also got in the game over the years which put the style onto the runway and into
fashion magazines.

Hoodies for the cold weather:

Hoodies are a popular clothing item—they
are sometimes worn under a coat or jacket to provide an extra layer of clothing
during the winter. In the province of Saskatchewan, Canada hoodies are often referred
to as "bunny-hugs."

In addition to being used to layer up, the hood is very helpful
for keeping the wearers ears and head warm. As they say, people lose a great
deal of body temperature from the head and hands. In addition to the warming
hood, most hoodies have large pockets (pouches) to keep your hands. In recent
years in England and other countries, many older people have been seen wearing hoodies,
particularly in cold weather. This type of apparel is not only a trendy style
for youth.

Do hoodies have a bad name?

In the United Kingdom (and other countries), hoodies have
been the subject of much criticism; some shoplifters have used the hood to conceal
their identities from CCTV cameras in shopping centers.

During the 21st century, the hoody had gained a negative
image, being associated with trouble making teens and anti-social behavior.

Even Theodore John Kaczynski had a famous image of being
spotted in a hoodie. Yes, I am referring to Ted Kaczynski who was the “Unabomber".
Ted was an American anarchist, mathematical prodigy, and domestic terrorist.
The artist sketch that was publicized when they were trying to catch him was of
Ted in a hooded sweatshirt.

In the opinion of Apparel Search,
the fact that crimes have been committed is not the fault of the hoodie.
Obviously bad intention is only the fault of the wearer. It is a shame that
a criminal element can potentially give this “perfectly good garment" a bad name.

Common Usage:

Throughout the United States, it is common for middle school,
high school, and college students to wear sweatshirts—with or without hoods—that
display their respective school names or mascots across the chest, either as part
of a uniform or personal preference.

They are also worn with sports team logos, business logos,
cartoon characters, funny statements, and other novelty prints.

Hoodies have become mainstream fashion in the U.S., transcending
the clothing item's original utilitarian purpose, similar to jeans.

The hooded sweatshirt is handy garment to keep us warm, dry
(in very light rain, and only temporarily dry depending on the fabric), and generally
comfortable. It is now extremely popular all around the globe for a variety
of reasons.

If I were to pick the top three clothing items that I would
want in my wardrobe, it may be a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and a hoodie (if I could
have four, I would toss in at least one pair of underwear).

Hoodies don't have to only be made from thick & heavy
sweat shirt material. They can be made of thin light weight fabrics as well.

By the way, it may be time to throw out that old ratty looking
sweatshirt. We understand that it is your favorite, but enough is enough.
Sorry, but they don’t last forever. If you absolutely can’t part with it,
the least you can do is stop wearing it in public.